Monitoring and implementing 蘑菇短视频's Truth and Reconciliation 52 Calls to Action
As a national and global academic leader, 蘑菇短视频 firmly believes it has a crucial role to play in responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada鈥檚 Calls to Action. 蘑菇短视频 is committed to heeding the call of the TRC by engaging and collaborating with Indigenous communities and their Elders to identify, explore and advance ideas, initiatives and plans that will embed Indigeneity in the life and activities of the University while seeking to enhance the presence and success of Indigenous students, faculty and staff at 蘑菇短视频.
To this end, the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) struck a Task Force on Indigenous聽Studies and Indigenous Education which released a final report in 2017 with fifty-two specific Calls to Action. This is how the Indigenous Initiatives unit聽came to be.
聽Roles & Responsibilities
The Office of Indigenous Initiatives is officially tasked with the initiation of the implementation of the 52 Calls to Action from the Final Report of the Provost Task Force, this administrative department plays a聽much broader role.聽 As the institutional steward of 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 vision for Indigeneity, Indigenous Initiatives' multifaceted responsibilities strengthen awareness and alignment of聽various ongoing Indigenous initiatives touching all dimensions of 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 mission as a post-secondary institution.
In addition to its core role in supporting Indigenous student and faculty success and research,聽the unit ensures that Indigeneity is embedded in all facets of university life. This includes teaching and learning, curricular developments, governance, student life, faculty recruitment and development, human resources, campus space and planning, and research and innovation. Indigenous Initiatives聽supports the effectiveness of efforts in all these areas through coordination and聽 guidance with Indigenous community advisors and cross-campus liaison.
Meet the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and First People's House Team
Indigenous Initiatives and FPH
Celeste Pedri-Spade - Associate Provost, Indigenous Initiatives
Appointed in 2022 as 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 first Associate Provost (Indigenous Initiatives), Celeste Pedri-Spade oversees 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 ongoing response to the 52 Calls to Action articulated by the Provost鈥檚 Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education. She likewise works closely with academic leaders across 蘑菇短视频 to further define the direction of 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 commitment to Indigenous scholars and scholarship, and to greater representation and inclusion of Indigenous peoples within the University community. She plays a critical role in furthering efforts to ensure the success of Indigenous students at 蘑菇短视频, and in building meaningful and active partnerships with Indigenous communities in Quebec and across Canada.
An Ojibwe scholar and artist, Pedri-Spade is from the Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation in northwestern Ontario. She completed her PhD in visual anthropology at the University of Victoria and her MA in Culture and Communication at Royal Roads University.
Celeste Pedri-Spade is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology in the Faculty of Arts. Her research interests include Indigenous art and decolonization; settler colonialism and Indigeneity; Indigenous visual/material culture; Anishinabemowin regeneration; and creative Indigenous research methodologies.
Brittanny Janvier - Director, Indigenous Initiatives
Brittanny Janvier, a Dene from Cold Lake First Nations in Alberta, Treaty 6, is deeply committed to Indigenous advancement. She brings a wealth of experience to her role as Director of Indigenous Initiatives at 蘑菇短视频, where she leads strategic initiatives and partnerships to promote reconciliation and inclusivity in higher education.
Brittanny holds a Master of Management from 蘑菇短视频, a Bachelor of Commerce from MacEwan University, and a diploma in Business Administration from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Her career spans the education, transportation, hospitality, and public service sectors.
Previously, she served as Associate Director of the Indigenous Relations Initiative at 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 School of Continuing Studies, playing a key role in advancing 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 52 Calls to Action. She has also worked in hospitality management within Alberta鈥檚 Oil and Gas industry, project management at the Government of Alberta鈥檚 Ministry of Advanced Education, and learning and development at Canadian National Railway.
Throughout her career, Brittanny has excelled at bridging academic insights with real-world applications, driving meaningful change in every space she enters. Outside of work, Brittanny enjoys spending quality time with her family, camping, and getting lost in a good book.
Geraldine King - Senior Advisor, Indigenous Curriculum and Pedagogy
Geraldine King (she/her/elle/kwe) is Anishinaabe and a member-citizen of Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek (Gull Bay First Nation) located in the Robinson Superior Treaty area of Northwestern Ontario. Geraldine is currently a PhD candidate in the cultural studies program at Queen鈥檚 University and completed her MA in Indigenous Governance at the University of Victoria. Prior to joining 蘑菇短视频, Geraldine was a Lecturer in the School of Canadian and Indigenous Studies at Carleton University where she helped advance Indigenous land-based education grounded in Indigenous communities. Geraldine鈥檚 doctoral work focusses on Anishinaabe erotics, ethics of intimacy, kinship studies and theories of Anishinaabe phenomenology.
As the Senior Advisor, Indigenous Curriculum and Pedagogy. Prof. King will provide strategic advice to individual faculty and academic leaders across the university with the goal of supporting meaningful and respectful relations with Indigenous communities, peoples, knowledges, and epistemologies. Prof. King will also hold an Assistant Professor position in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE) in the Faculty of Education where she will focus on developing and delivering land-based education.
Julie Prsa - Administration Officer, Indigenous Initiatives
Julie Prsa is Administrative Officer with extensive administrative experience at 蘑菇短视频 in various units for over 21 years while currently providing multifaceted executive level support and contributing to efficient office operations. Responsible for providing a high-level of organizational, planning, and administrative support, coordinating projects and meetings, liaising, and providing superior customer service to internal and external stakeholders. An effective team player with an exceptional level of accuracy, prioritization skills, autonomy, strategic judgment, confidentiality, and efficiency in a fast-paced work environment. Julie previously worked at the Office of the Vice-Principal, Administration and Finance, the Neuro, the Fiat Lux Library Project Office and now currently works at the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at 蘑菇短视频.
Outside of work, Julie enjoys folkloric dancing, skiing, road biking, being outdoors and being a member of the Montreal Slovene Association as well as spending time with family, her dog and friends.
Delilah Samson, Communications Assistant
Delilah is a U3 Honours student at 蘑菇短视频 majoring in International Development, with a double minor in Indigenous Studies and Biology. In Fall 2024, she joined the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, where she supports internal communications and contributes to the development of outreach newsletters. Delilah is passionate about community-driven projects and women's health, which are central to her academic focus. Outside of her studies and professional work, she enjoys sewing and swimming.
Matthew Coutu-Moya, Administrative Supervisor, First Peoples' House
Matthew Coutu-Moya is Michif-Chilean from Summerland, British Columbia. His mother was born and raised in the prairies of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Her family has ties to Michif communities of St-Boniface, Petite Pointe du Ch锚nes (Lorette) and St-Laurent in Manitoba as well as St-Paul-des-M茅tis (St-Paul) in Alberta. His father is from Santiago, Chile and came to Canada as a refugee after the Pinochet coup. Prior to living in Montr茅al, Matthew worked for three years with immigrants and refugees at Kamloops Immigrant Services. This work would motivate him to return to school. In 2017, Matthew moved to Montr茅al to study at 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 School of Social Work.
Since graduating in 2020, he has been working with Indigenous Access 蘑菇短视频, a program which supports Indigenous students at the School of Social Work. Matthew is excited and grateful to join the team at First Peoples鈥� House as he hopes to continue giving back to the programs which supported him during his own studies as well as fostering a home away from home for Indigenous students at 蘑菇短视频.
Marlowe Dubois - Indigenous Student Advisor, First Peoples' House
Marlowe Dubois is Cree First Nation, born and raised in Saskatchewan, and is a band member of Ochapowace First Nation. He enrolled at 蘑菇短视频 in the faculty of education in 2016, graduating with a Bachelor of Education in 2021. He has a background in both provincial and Indigenous education systems through work as a teacher, creating familiarity with what students require to succeed and what specific roadblocks Indigenous students will face in the university system.
Pasha Partridge - Administrative Coordinator, First Peoples' House
Pasha April Partridge is Inuk from Kuujjuaq and Kanien'keh谩:ka from Kahnaw脿:ke. She was a research assistant for a big research project called the First Peoples鈥� Postsecondary Storytelling Exchange (FPPSE) where she has been advocating for Indigenous student success. Since 2016, she has spent much of her time visiting different post-secondary institutions to talk with teachers, deans and various levels of academic leadership to share her experience as an Indigenous student and how things can be changed to make students feel more welcomed in their classrooms. She has a love for research, specifically research for and by Indigenous people. Pasha is a research assistant for the Cultural and Indigenous Research in Counselling Psychology (CIRC) Lab at 蘑菇短视频. She is a multi-disciplinary artist, focusing on sealskin materials to make jewelry and accessories, recently incorporating soapstone carvings into her artwork. She is also a filmmaker, having made 4 short films all focusing on her Indigenous identity.
